Telephonic-interface statistical analysis system

• US 6,292,547 B1
• Filed: 03/15/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald A Katz Technology Licensing LP
• Original Assignee: Ronald A Katz Technology Licensing LP
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/270,241
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 379/91.01, 379/91.02, 379/92.01, 379/92.03, 379/93.02, 379/93.03, 379/93.12, 379/93.13, 379/93.14
• US Class Current: 379/93.12
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/086 played via telephone, e.g. using a modem
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 : Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1309 : Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 : CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 : Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 : PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 : Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 : Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 : Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13107 : Control equipment for a part of the connection, distributed control, co-processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13136 : Collect call information service H04Q2213/13376
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1316 : Service observation, testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 : Busy signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 : Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13178 : Control signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 : Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1328 : Call transfer, e.g. in PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1332 : Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 : Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 : Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/002 : Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54533 : Configuration data, translation, passwords, databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/5455 : Multi-processor, parallelism, distributed systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54591 : Supervision, e.g. fault localisation, traffic measurements, avoiding errors, failure recovery, monitoring, statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/665 : Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/74 : Identification of subscriber calling from a party-line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/912 : Geographically adaptive

Abstract

A system D interfaces with a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn of a telephone network facility C, at the terminals callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data that is identified for positive association with a caller and is stored for processing. The caller'"'"'s identification data is confirmed using various techniques and callers may be ranked and accounted for on the basis of entitlement, sequence or demographics. Callers are assigned random designations that are stored along with statistical and identification data. A break-off control circuit may terminate the computer interface aborting to a terminal for direct communication with an operator. Real-time operation processing is an alternative to stored data. The accumulation of stored data (statistical, calling order sequence, etc.) is variously processed and correlated as with developed or established data to isolate a select group or subset of callers who can be readily identified and reliably confirmed. Different program formats variously control the processing of statistical data as for auction sales, contests, lotteries, polls, commercials and so on.

Claims

1. A control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein each of said remote terminals comprises a telephonic instrument including a voice communication device, and a digital input device in the form of an array of alphabetic numeric buttons for providing caller data signals, said control system comprising:

a processor unit for processing said caller data signals supplied by individual callers via said remote terminals;

interface structure for interfacing said communication facility to said processor unit wherein said interface structure receives data signals prior to the close of communication with the caller, including called number data signals (DNIS) and calling number identification data signals automatically provided by said communication facility and said caller data signals supplied by the individual callers via said remote terminals;

voice generator for providing prompts to said individual callers in response to which said individual callers provide said caller data signals, said caller data signals including caller qualification data for qualifying said individual callers;

testing caller customer number data as part of said caller qualification data supplied by the individual callers as at least certain of said caller data signals against a file of stored customer number data;

means for controlling said processor unit in accordance with said called number identification data signals (DNIS) to process at least certain of said caller data signals in accordance with a select format from a plurality of formats identified by said called number identification data signals (DNIS); and

a switch that transfers the individual callers to a manual operation in the event the individual callers do not qualify during the testing step.

2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein at least certain of said individual callers at certain of said remote terminals are also subject to qualification based on said calling number identification data signals.

3. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said processor unit generates data identifying an order and provides the data to the individual callers.

4. A control system according to claim 3, wherein the data identifying the order is number data.

5. A control system according to claim 4, wherein the number data is provided as acknowledgement data to the individual callers.

6. A control system according to claim 4, wherein the number data is provided in chronological sequence.

7. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the qualification data is indicative of a consumable key.

8. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the caller data signals include item number data.

9. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the caller data signals include a second form of identification data.

10. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said file of stored customer number data includes negative file data.

11. An analysis control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein each of said remote terminals comprises a telephonic instrument including a voice communication device and digital input device in the form of an array of alphabetic numeric buttons for providing data and wherein said communication facility has a capability to automatically provide terminal digital data, indicating a calling telephone number, said analysis control system comprising:

interface structure coupled to said communication facility to interface said remote terminals for voice and digital communication and including means to provide caller data signals representative of data relating to said individual callers provided from said remote terminals or automatically provided by the communication facility with respect to the remote terminals prior to the close of communication with the callers including caller personal identification data entered by the caller via the digital input device and said terminal digital data indicative of a calling telephone number;

record testing structure connected to receive and test said caller data signals indicative of said terminal digital data representative of said calling telephone number and said caller personal identification data against previously stored terminal digital data and caller personal identification data;

storage structure for storing certain of said data provided by said individual callers including item data for ordering particular items; and

analysis structure for receiving and processing said caller data signals under control of said record testing structure.

12. An analysis control structure according to claim 11 wherein said callers further provide credit card number data as caller data signals.

13. An analysis control system according to claim 12, wherein said individual callers further provide expiration data with respect to said credit card number data as caller data signals.

14. An analysis control system according to claim 13, wherein said individual callers receive authorization on-line.

15. An analysis control system according to claim 14, wherein the credit card number data is received as billing data.

16. An analysis control system according to claim 14, wherein said analysis structure further comprises a processor that generates data identifying an order and provides at least certain of the data to the individual callers.

17. A control system according to claim 11, wherein said analysis structure further comprises a processor that generates data identifying an order and provides at least certain of the data to the individual callers.

18. A control system according to claim 11, wherein the data identifying the order is number data.

19. A control system according to claim 18 wherein the number data is provided as acknowledgement data to the individual callers.

20. A control system according to claim 18 wherein the number data is provided to the individual callers in chronological sequence.

27. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

receiving calling number identification signals automatically provided by said communication facility as a part of said data signals.

21. A method for implementing a service for controlling an order of an item or items for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein each of said remote terminals comprises a telephonic instrument including a voice communication device and a digital input device in the form of an array of alphabetic numeric buttons for providing data, said method comprising the steps of:

interfacing said remote terminals for voice and digital communication and receiving data signals prior to the close of communication from callers at said remote terminals including said caller data signals developed by said remote terminals;

providing prompts to said individual callers in response to which said individual callers can provide said caller data signals including caller qualification data for qualifying callers;

receiving from said callers customer number data in addition to one other form of identification data as a part of the caller qualification data;

verifying said customer number data and said other form of identification data entered by said callers;

receiving from said callers order data including item data entered by said callers via said digital input device;

receiving from said callers additional data relating to said item data;

processing said caller entered data to implement said order; and

providing individual callers with computer generated data to identify said order for individual callers.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the computer generated data identifying the order is provided to the individual callers as acknowledgement data.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein the computer generated number data is provided to the individual callers in chronological sequence.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein the data identifying the order identifies the order for a mail order house.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein data identifying the order facilitates tracing.

26. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:

receiving called number identification signals (DNIS) automatically provided by said communication facility as a part of said data signals.

28. A method according to claim 21, wherein the receiving step includes receiving calling number identification signals automatically provided by said communication facility as a part of said data signals.

29. A method according to claim 21, wherein in response to prompts said individual callers enter credit card data.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein in response to prompts said individual callers enter data on a type of credit card.

31. A method according to claim 29 wherein said callers enter credit card number data as credit card data.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein in response to said prompts said callers enter credit card expiration data as credit card data.

33. A method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of:

verifying on-line the credit card number data and the credit card expiration data.

34. A method according to claim 31, wherein said credit card number data is received as billing data.

35. A method according to claim 21 wherein said order is a television initiated order.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein at least certain of the data relating to the order entered by said callers is coded data displayed on the television.

37. A method according to claim 21, wherein the customer number data provided by the callers is associated with a limit restricting use of the service to an extent of a dollar value.

38. A method according to claim 21, wherein the customer number data provided by the callers is associated with a limit restricting use of the service up to a certain number of uses.

39. A method according to claim 21, wherein the customer number data provided by the callers is associated with a limit restricting use of the service to a limited period of time.

40. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:

controlling inventory of items with certain order data.

41. A method according to claim 40, wherein the controlling step controls the inventory of items on-line.

42. A method according to claim 21 wherein the verifying step further comprises the step of:

verifying the customer number data provided by the callers against a list of negative customer numbers.

43. A method according to claim 21 wherein said other form of identification data is social security number data.

44. A method according to claim 21 wherein said other form of identification data is PIN data.

45. A method according to claim 21 wherein the callers order multiple items during the course of a call.

46. A method according to claim 45, wherein the facility operating the service is a mail order house.

47. A method according to claim 21, wherein the data identifying the order identifies the order for a facility operating the service.

48. A method according to claim 21, wherein the additional data provided by the callers includes the size of the item.

49. A method according to claim 21, wherein the additional data provided by the caller includes the color of the item.

50. A method according to claim 21, wherein the additional data provided by the caller includes the size and color of the item.